Combing device

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a combing device ( 1 ) for combing hair, the device ( 1 ) comprising, a container ( 2 ), a plurality of teeth ( 5 ) and a triboelectric generator ( 7 ). The container ( 2 ) is suitable for housing some content ( 11 ), the container ( 2 ) comprising holes ( 3 ) arranged in a brushing zone ( 4 ) of the container ( 2 ). The plurality of teeth ( 5 ) are attached to the brushing zone ( 4 ) of the container ( 2 ). The shaking means ( 6 ) are suitable for causing a movement in the interior of the container ( 2 ), and the triboelectric generator ( 7 ) is adapted for creating a triboelectric effect on the hair to be combed.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention belongs to the field of distributing cosmetics,more particularly, to the field of distributing cosmetics in the hair.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many ways of applying hair products have been already disclosed in thestate of art. The most common one is applying the product on the user'shand and then applying the product on the hair with their hand. Anotherway used in the cosmetic application is by means of a spray, whichpulverizes the cosmetic product in the hair.

The problem found in these solutions is that the product is notuniformly distributed, the product does not reach hair and scalpuniformly and part of the product is wasted because the user does notknow with accuracy the amount of product that should be used in eachapplication, and does not have a way of reaching the hair and scalpdirectly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a solution for the aforementionedproblems, by a combing device according to claim 1. In dependent claims,preferred embodiments of the invention are defined.

In a first inventive aspect, the invention provides a combing device forcombing hair, the device comprising,

-   -   a container suitable for housing some content, the container        comprising holes arranged in a brushing zone of the container,    -   a plurality of teeth attached to the brushing zone of the        container,    -   shaking means, suitable for causing a movement in the interior        of the container, and    -   a triboelectric generator adapted for creating a triboelectric        effect on the hair to be combed;        characterized in that the container further comprises a covering        structure movable between a first position and a second        position, and further adapted to    -   cover the holes of the container, when the covering structure is        in a first position, and    -   uncover the holes of the container, when the covering structure        is in a second position.

The combing device is adapted to spread the content of the container tothe scalp and the hair. The content of the container leaves thecontainer through the holes and said content is laid along the hair andthe scalp.

Advantageously, the combing device allows a user to comb himself and todistribute the content of the container equally in each region of hishair. Advantageously, this equal distribution allows content saving. Thecombing device of the invention allows correct administration of thetreatment along the hair and the scalp. Furthermore, the triboelectriceffect prepares the hair for a better reception of the content of thecontainer.

When the covering structure is in its first position, it covers theholes and as a consequence, the content of the container cannot exit thecontainer. When the covering structure is in its second position, theholes are uncovered and the content of the container can exit thecontainer through the holes. Advantageously, said covering structureallows spreading the content of the container only when desired by theuser, thus saving the content of the container. In some embodiments, thecovering structure is a sheet. In particular embodiments, this sheet islocated inside the container over the holes; in other embodiments thesheet is located outside the container. Different configurations arealso possible.

In a particular embodiment, the triboelectric generator achieves its aimby comprising a material with an electron affinity is lower than theelectron affinity of hair, which is deemed to be around +45 nC/J. Inthis scale, wool is considered to be the reference value (0 nC/J).Because of that, a material with an electron affinity between +40 nC/Jand −190 nC/J is suitable for this aim. Electron affinity or chargeaffinity is considered as the charge transfer per unit of energy that istransferred when two bodies are rubbed against the other. Thus, anymaterial with such an electron affinity will create a triboelectriceffect in hair.

In a particular embodiment, the material comprised in the triboelectricgenerator comprises a polymer with an electron affinity which iscomprised between −40 nC/J and −190 nC/J. In a further embodiment, thispolymer is a vinyl polymer such as PVC.

In a particular embodiment, the triboelectric generator is comprised inthe teeth themselves, because they are made of such a polymer.

The triboelectric generator generates a triboelectric effect in the hairto be combed. This effect prepares the hair to receive the content ofthe container, as it separates each hair from the others whilecontributing to adhere the material within the container to the hair dueto differences in electrostatic charge.

In other embodiments, the triboelectric generator is located surroundingthe brushing zone of the combing device. This configuration provides theadvantage that the triboelectric effect is induced in the hairregardless the direction of the combing action.

In a particular embodiment, the shaking means are synchronized with thecovering structure, so that when shaking means are activated, thecovering structure is moved to the second position and when shakingmeans are deactivated, the covering structure is released to the firstposition.

In this embodiment, when the user activates the shaking means to applythe product, said shaking means move the covering structure, preferablya sheet inside the container, to the second position, where the coveringstructure unblocks the holes of the container, so that the content ofthe container can leave the container through said holes. When the userdeactivates the shaking means, said shaking means move the coveringstructure to the first position inside the container, where the coveringstructure blocks the holes of the container.

In a particular embodiment, the container further comprises a springattached to the covering structure and to the container, wherein thespring is arranged to force the covering structure to be in its firstposition.

In this embodiment, the shaking means are configured to move thecovering structure to the second position when they are activated, byapplying a force which overcome the force produced by the spring. Whenthe user deactivates the shaking means, the shaking means release theirforce, and the spring moves the covering structure back to the firstposition, thus covering the holes. Advantageously, this embodimentallows a simple configuration of the device.

In a particular embodiment, the diameters of the holes of the containerare between 0.3 mm and 3 mm. Advantageously, this size of the holesallows the content inside the container to leave the container withoutblocking the holes. In a more particular embodiment, the diameters ofthe holes of the container are between 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm. Diametersbetween 0.5 mm and 0.8 mm are especially suitable when the contentcomprises keratin fibers.

In a particular embodiment, the holes are tapered, to ease theirfilling.

In a particular embodiment, the shaking means comprise a vibration motorwhich causes the container to vibrate. Advantageously, these vibrationsavoid the obstruction of the holes if the content of the container issolidified or irregular.

The shaking means are adapted for causing the content of the containerto move, avoiding the content from being stuck in the holes of thecontainer, and letting said content to leave the container in a moreuniform way. Advantageously, this solves the problem that arises whenthe action of gravity during the combing is not effective to distributethe content of the container uniformly, for example when combing thesides of the head. This is also useful when the content of the containeris very compact and there is need to shake the container to move thecontent so that it is uniformly distributed along the hair.

In different embodiments, the shaking means comprise means for causingan airflow inside the container. As a consequence, the content of thecontainer is stirred by said airflow.

In a particular embodiment, the container comprises container divisions.

In a particular embodiment, the container contains keratin fibers.

In a particular embodiment, the container is detachable.

In a particular embodiment, the container is refillable.

All the features described in this specification (including the claims,description and drawings) and/or all the steps of the described methodcan be combined in any combination, with the exception of combinationsof such mutually exclusive features and/or steps.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other characteristics and advantages of the invention willbecome clearly understood in view of the detailed description of theinvention which becomes apparent from a preferred embodiment of theinvention, given just as an example and not being limited thereto, withreference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 This figure shows a particular embodiment of a combing deviceaccording to the invention.

FIG. 2 This figure shows an alternative embodiment of a combing deviceaccording to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a particular embodiment of a combing device (1) accordingto the invention. This combing device (1) comprises:

-   -   a container (2) suitable for housing some content (11), the        container (2) comprising holes (3) arranged in a brushing zone        (4) of the container (2),    -   a plurality of teeth (5) attached to the brushing zone (2) of        the container,    -   shaking means (6), suitable for causing a movement in the        interior of the container (2), and    -   a triboelectric generator (7), for creating a triboelectric        effect on the hair to be combed.

In the embodiment of this figure, the triboelectric generator (7)comprises a vinyl polymer such as PVC, with an electron affinity around−100 nC/J. This triboelectric generator (7) is capable to cause atriboelectric effect on the hair when the teeth (5) of the combingdevice (1) make contact with the hair. In this particular embodiment,the triboelectric generator (7) comprise PVC elements, which arearranged in the brushing zone (4), next to the teeth (5).

In a further embodiment, not shown in the figures, the triboelectricgenerator (7) is located surrounding the brushing zone (4) of thecombing device (1), so that the triboelectric effect is inducedregardless the direction of the combing action, and before the teeth (5)of the combing device (1) make contact with the hair.

In a particular embodiment, a polymer, such as a plastic, is chosen,because of its electron affinity, which is higher than the average forhuman hair.

In order to prevent the content (11) contained in the container (2) toexit the container (2) when the container (2) is filled with somecontent (11), a covering structure (8) is provided inside the container(2). This covering structure is adapted to be movable between a firstposition, then covering the holes (3) of the container (2), and a secondposition, then uncovering the holes (3) of the container (2). In thisparticular embodiment, the covering structure (8) is a metal sheetdriven by a spring, in such a way that the spring is arranged to forcethe covering structure (8) to be in its first position. If nothing actsover the spring, the covering structure is located in its firstposition, thus covering the holes (3) of the container (2), andpreventing the content (11) from exiting the container (2).

In this particular embodiment, the shaking means (6) are also connectedto the covering structure (8) in the following way:

-   -   when said shaking means (6) are activated, they act on the        covering structure (8), moving it to the second position against        the force of the spring and,    -   when said shaking means (6) are deactivated, they release the        covering structure (8) so that it returns to the first position.

In this particular embodiment, the holes (3) are tapered, i.e., they areprovided in a funnel shape, so that the hole (3) is wider inside thecontainer (2) and is narrower outside the container (2).

In this particular embodiment, the shaking means (6) comprise avibration motor. This vibration motor is placed next to the container,and when it is activated, it causes the container (2) to vibrate. Whenthe content (11) is inside the container, the shaking means prevent thecontent (11) from being stuck in the holes (3), causing the content (11)to exit uniformly by the holes (3).

In an alternative embodiment, shown in FIG. 2, the shaking means (6)comprise a fan, placed inside the container. When the fan is activated,the fan causes the content (11) inside the container to move by theairflow generated by the fan, thus preventing the content (11) frombeing stuck in the holes (3), causing the content (11) to exit uniformlyby the holes (3).

1. Combing device (1) for combing hair, the device (1) comprising, acontainer (2) suitable for housing some content (11), the container (2)comprising holes (3) arranged in a brushing zone (4) of the container(2), a plurality of teeth (5) attached to the brushing zone (4) of thecontainer (2), shaking means (6), suitable for causing a movement in theinterior of the container (2), and a triboelectric generator (7) adaptedfor creating a triboelectric effect on the hair to be combed,characterized in that the container (2) further comprises a coveringstructure (8) movable between a first position and a second position,and further adapted to cover the holes (3) of the container (2), whenthe covering structure (8) is in a first position, and uncover the holes(3) of the container (2), when the covering structure (8) is in a secondposition.
 2. Combing device (1) according to claim 1, wherein thetriboelectric generator (7) comprises a material with an electronaffinity which is comprised between +40 nC/J and −190 nC/J.
 3. Combingdevice (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the materialcomprised in the triboelectric generator (7) comprises a polymer with anelectron affinity which is comprised between −40 nC/J and −190 nC/J. 4.Combing device (1) according to any of the previous claims wherein theshaking means (6) are synchronized with the covering structure (8), sothat when the shaking means (6) are activated, the covering structure(8) is moved to the second position and when the shaking means (6) aredeactivated, the covering structure (8) is released to the firstposition.
 5. Combing device (1) according to any of the previous claims,wherein the container (2) further comprises a spring attached to thecovering structure (8) and to the container (2), wherein the spring isarranged to force the covering structure (8) to be in its firstposition.
 6. Combing device (1) according to any of previous claims,wherein the diameters of the holes (3) of the container are between 0.3mm and 3 mm.
 7. Combing device (1) according to the previous claim,wherein the diameters of the holes of the container are between 0.5 mmand 0.8 mm.
 8. Combing device (1) according to any of the previousclaims, wherein the holes (3) are tapered, to ease their filling. 9.Combing device (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein theshaking means (6) comprise a vibration motor which causes the container(2) to vibrate.
 10. Combing device (1) according to any of the previousclaims, wherein the shaking means (6) comprise means for forcing anairflow inside the container (2).
 11. Combing device (1) according toany of the previous claims, wherein the container (2) comprise containerdivisions (12).
 12. Combing device (1) according to any of the previousclaims, wherein the container (2) contain keratin fibers.
 13. Combingdevice (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein thecontainer (2) is detachable.
 14. Combing device (1) according to any ofthe previous claims, wherein the container (2) is refillable.